Brake-band.



J. B. LEONARD.

BRAKE BAND.

APPLlc/mon mm APH. v4, |911.

Patented J uly 223, 19H5.

Mfr

A TTUH/VE Y :oserei n. LEONARD, or DETROIT, meurent Enma-MND.'

Specification of Lettera Patent.

Patented J uly 23, 1918.

Application led April 14, 1917. Serial No. 181,948.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. LEoNARn, a, citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful rakeand, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brake bands es pecially adapted for use on vehicle wheels.

The invention has for its principal object to provide in a brake band, of the general character commonly' employed for brak in the Wheels of motor vehicles, simple and e cient means to enable the application of the pressure of the brake band upon the drum of the brake to be more gradually broughtl into gripping service, so as not to subject the .vehicle to shocks and jars re`V sulting from thc sudden operation of tl` brakes, While at the same time enabling the maximum braking surface ot the band and drum to be effectively brought into service.

In attaining the above object the invention contemplates the employment, in connection with the brake'band and its usual yieldable lining embracing the brake drum, of a plurality of vflexible plates interposed at intervals circumferentially and tangentially between the band and lining so as to deflect the latter inwardly to the arc of the former and present to the periphery of the brake drum a circular series of spaced bear ing Surfaces engagcable with the drum upon a partial contraction of the band to exert an initial braking pressure thereon, and yielding under the further contraction o' said band to permit the intervening portions of the lining to be brougl'lt into surface contact with said drum and to participate in the final braking pressure exerted thereon.

A preferred structural embodiment of the essentialfeatures of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a drum and brake band equipped with a plurality of flexible inserts or bearing plates in acn cordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the plates detached.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the brake band showingr a depression therein for the reception of the plate shown in Fig. 2. l

ltererring to the parts of the device by the characters of reference marked on the drawings, 1 represents a brake drum which 1s embraced by a split band 2 having a yieldable lining strip 3 secured to the inner face thereof by rivets 4.-, end which is adapted to be drawn into peripheral contact with the drum through contraction by means of the usual link 5 and lever 6 pivotally connecting the free ends of the band as 1s common in the art.

In the operation of brakes of this character more or less difficulty is experienced in applying the brakingv pressure of the band gradually to the drum, owing to the rela tively large bearing surfaces presented between the band and drum, and the conse quent tendency of the engaging surfaces to grip abruptly when brought into Contact; by the contraction of the brake band. To overcome this difficulty I insert between the in ner and outer arcs of the brake band 2 and lining 3 a plurality of circumferentially spaced flexible plates 7 which lie in the plane of a chord to the arc of the brake band with which said plates engage at opposite ends and serve to deflect adjacent portions of the lining Strip inwardly toward the periphery of the brake drum.

The ends of the plates 7 are provided centrally with integrally formed upturned or lateral tongues 8 which are received in apertures U formed through the brake band, by means ot which said plates are retained against displaccment. said tongues fitting sulliciently free in the apertures to permit of angular movement therein with the de ing of the body of the plate in conforming to the arc of the brake band through .the engagement under pressure of ,the deflected portions of the lining with the periphery of the brake drum when said band is con tti-acted.

Ordinarily the plates 7 are comparatively thin, and owing to the pliable nature of the lining they will become embedded therein suliciently to allow the intermediate por( tions of the lining to be brought into bearing engagement with the drum following the initial contraction of the band so that the entire braking surface of the lining may finally be brought into service. However, it may be desirable in order to insure uni.- formity in the arc of the bearing surface of the lining upon the drum to depress peripheral portions of the brake band adjacent the ,loo

plates in the forni of pockets as at 10 to compensate for the thickness and receive the body ol the plate when depreSSed.

It, will now be elear from the foregoing deseriution that yieldable hearing' points will be formed at intervals oi' the are of the lining opposite the inserted l'ilates which will act. to gradually app-ly pressure to the drnin upon the initial contraction olf the hand. and that these points of' bearing will ret-erle with the increasing pressure on the hand so as to allow the entire, or normal baking surface of the band to be, brought into serrure, thus` enabling the application ol' the pressure to be gradually applied and n'ereolniug the liability of shwks and jars resulting Vfrom the too abrupt engagenunt of' the gripping surfaces oi' the brake.

l rlaini:

l. ln a lli-aliej the` enubination with a druiu and a eontrartible hand tllerel'or7 said hand haringy a yieldable lining' lor engagenenl with said drinn. of a circular Series ol tlat iiexible plates interposed between raid hand and lining in surface rontaet w ith said lining and bearing at opposite ends upon the inner arcuate iaee of said hand`r and meansA to retain said plates in lixed spaeed relation between said band and lining".

"2. 1n a brake, the Combination with a drinn and a eontractible band tln-u'efor said band having a lvieldable lining l'or engage- Inentiwith said drinn. of a plurality ol eireuniferentally spared llat flexible plates interposed between said hand and lining in engagement at opposite ends with the inner arcuate iure ol' said hand and yieldably snp porting.,T and flellerting contiguous portions of said lining inwardly ofihe arr oi said hand` and iueans to retain said plates loosely engaged with Said hand.

3. In a brake, the combination with a drinn and a rontrartihle band therelfuig said band carrying a i'ieldable lining for engage ment with aid drinn` of a plurality of eireumferentially Yspaced flat plates inserted hetween said band and lining in` bearing en gag-nient at oppoisite ends with the inner arcuate fare of said hand and yieldaloly supportin r and deflect/in cont-n nous portions of sai( lining inwartgily of t ie are ol' said hand, and anehorinf members carried by said plates and intel-[locking with Isaid hand i'or retaining sa d plates against displacc nient therewith.

1. In a brake, the. coinbimition with a drum and a eontraetible hand havinzef a yieldY able lining l'or engagement, with said drinn, said hand haring; a plurality olt oireninlerem t'ially spaced arl-nate depressions in the inner l'aee thereof'` of llat liexible plates .seated at opposite ends respeetively in opposite ends; oi' said depressions and yieldahly supl porting and deilecting contiguous portions of said lining inwardly of the are ol said band. and nie-ans to loosely retain said plates in said depressions.

lin a brake, the rolnbinatioii with a druui anda rontraetiblu band ha ringA a yieldable lining' lor engagement with said drinn, .said band haringr a 'irrular series ol spaced apertures in theI wall thereol', ol' tint lexilile plates` iuterposeil bel wenn .said hand and linA ingr in hearing rontact at opposite ends: with thr inner areuate tace ol said band and `yieldalily delierting engaged portions of .said lining inwardly ot the arr oi' said band1 and lateral tongues on said plates freely engaged in said apertures for loosely retainingI said plates engaged with said band.

(S. In a brake, the combination with a drinn and a rontrartibleband having a yieldable liningr for engagement with said drum, of a series ol" eireurnferentially spaced de pressions in the inner are of said band having apertures in opposite ends thereof, flat flexible, plates Heated at opposite ends respee tively in opposite ends of said depressions and yieldably supper-tiner and dellecting con tignous portions ut said lining` inwardly of the anA ol` said banfL and lateral tongues integfral with the ends of said plates freely re* eeived in said apertures for retaining said plates inovahly engaged with said band.

1n teStiinony whereof l sign this specilication.

JOSEPH B. LEONARD. 

